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Cartoonist released on bail but goes into hiding

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(RSF/IFEX) - Reporters Without Borders is disturbed by the repressive nature of the sedition investigation that has been initiated against cartoonist Zulkiflee Anawar Ulhaque, better known by the pen-name of Zunar, and his new book, "Cartoon-o-phobia", a collection of satirical political cartoons.

Arrested on 24 September 2010, just a few hours before the new books launch, Zunar was released on bail the next day but has gone into hiding for fear of being arrested again under Malaysia's draconian Internal Security Act, a friend told Reporters Without Borders.

How can a book of cartoons be seditious? Reporters Without Borders asked. Zunar's cartoons may sometimes be very cutting in their portrayal of Malaysian political life, and especially the ruling party, but they cannot in any way be regarded as seditious.

The press freedom organisation added: We firmly condemn Zunar's arrest and the search of the Kinibooks publishing house in Kuala Lumpur and we urge Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, the subject of some of his cartoons, to intervene to ensure that the police investigation into Zunar, this book and his publishing house is abandoned. It would be very alarming for media freedom in Malaysia if press cartoons were to be threatened in this manner.

After arriving at his office with a search warrant less than four hours before the launch of "Cartoon-o-phobia", the police arrested Zunar and took him to seven different police stations in turn. They also seized 66 copies of the book although, as his lawyer pointed out, they only needed one copy for the purposes of their investigation. I want my books returned to me, Zunar told journalists as he left the Sepang police station.

The police went back the next day to the premises of the news website Malaysiakini, which also houses Kinibooks, the publishing house that produced the book. They had a search warrant and wanted to confiscate more copies of the book, but did not find any. A Kinibooks representative told Reporters Without Borders that the search and sedition investigation were unprecedented. For more information: http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/143611

Malaysia's human rights situation continued to deteriorate in 2016, with human rights defenders, activists, political opposition figures, and journalists facing harassment and politically motivated prosecution. Those criticising the administration of Prime Minister Najib Razak or commenting on the government's handling of the 1 Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) corruption scandal have been particular targets.

The year 2014 saw Malaysians standing up to exercise the rights guaranteed under the Federal Constitution, including freedom of expression and freedom of assembly. This continues a growing trend of facing up to state oppression. Unfortunately, this has been met with increasing repression. Malaysia has seen a concerted crackdown on the freedom of expression in the year 2014, which has escalated even further in 2015.

In scrutinising the GE13 coverage provided by the most popular and influential Malaysian media, the Watching the Watchdog media monitoring project found that different 'Language Media' (English, Bahasa Malaysia, and Mandarin) provide differential information about GE13 participants, although in all cases, they reproduce the pro-BN bias found by the Watching the Watchdog project overall

In scrutinising the GE13 coverage provided by the most popular and influential Malaysian media, the Watching the Watchdog media monitoring project found that the coverage of politicians and other individuals present within election reporting (both when mentioned and when used as sources) is heavily gender-biased towards coverage of men.

In scrutinising the GE13 coverage provided by the most popular and influential Malaysian media, the Watching the Watchdog media monitoring project found that citizens are being deprived of fair and objective information about the individual politicians who are taking part in the elections.

In scrutinising the GE13 coverage provided by the most popular and influential Malaysian media, the Watching the Watchdog media monitoring project found that citizens of Malaysia are being deprived of fair and objective information about political parties and coalitions which are taking part in the elections.

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